Sparkling Waters Drive Bottled-Water Growth

According to figures from Nielsen, convenience store bottled-water sales rose around 4% in 2013 by both dollars and units, with gallons up 3.1%. The segments leading the pack: single-serve PET, take-home multipacks and sparkling, which is benefiting from consumers seeking a healthful alternative to carbonated soft drinks. On the downturn: bulk and sweetened/enhanced water. IRI figures for bottled water, which include sweetened/enhanced varieties, show dollars up slightly and unit sales off 1.4%.